Partners
by MeganKoumori
Summary: Buzz and Jessie are partners...but what happens if someone else likes Buzz? Read "Jessie's Mission" first!
1. Chapter 1

1:

* * *

The air was cool and moist as Andy followed his friends down the path to the ranch style duplex. He carried his Buzz Lightyear book bag. "Cheer up, Miranda. At least you have lines."

"It's so stupid!" She grumbled. "She only cast me because I have dark skin! If I was white, I'd be a pilgrim like you!"

"Would you rather be the grapes in the cornucopia like me?" Asked Maxie.

Andy shifted his bag. "I'm glad we don't have to worry about our toys being taken away on the bus anymore. Not since Ms. Grunch quit."

"What do you think happened to her?" Asked Miranda.

"Maybe she moved to Antarctica and gotten eaten by a polar bear." Maxie paused. "No wait, that's what I _hope _happened to her."

Inside Andy's backpack, Jessie was reading a thin paperback book. "This Thanksgiving Day play is a joke!" She said in dismay.

"Not so loud!" Woody scolded. "Do you want them to hear you?"

Jessie ignored him. "The Pilgrims were lazy, thievin' curs who nearly wiped out the Wampanoag tribe by disease and murder! The Indians weren't even invited to the harvest feast!"

Woody put his hands over his ears. _"I can't hear you!"_

She pulled his right one down and shouted in his ear, "You've been brainwashed! There were no musical numbers! No singin' squirrels! Hanna-Barbera _lied_ to you people! Thanksgiving is a farce!"

"I don't wanna know about it!"

"_Farce, farce, farce!"_

Buzz was sitting farther away from them. "C'mon you two. Let's just agree to disagree. Jessie dislikes Thanksgiving because it portrays a false history and stereotype of friendly, hardy pilgrims and happy Native Americans…"

Jessie nodded. "Uh huh."

"And Woody likes Thanksgiving because it's an American tradition and a time for family and friends to come together and be grateful."

"Uh huh." Said Woody.

"That," Buzz added. "And he prefers to stick his head in the sand like an ostrich and believe the whitewashed version of Thanksgiving because it's much nicer."

"Buzz!"

"Well it's true."

Outside the backpack, Miranda had unlocked the door to her house and led Andy and Maxie inside. There was a sewing machine pushed against the far wall and sitting on front of it was a small wrinkled woman with black hair so thin one could see the shape of her head. She was making an Indian costume.

"_Kumusta ho,_ _Lola." _Said Miranda as they passed her into the hall. The old woman pulled a pin out of the fabric as she nodded.

"You call your grandma 'Lola?'" Asked Maxie.

Miranda rolled her eyes. "'Lola' means Grandmother. She doesn't speak any English." The bedroom was at the end of the hallway and there was a picture of Sarah McLachlan ripped from the cover of Rolling Stone and taped to the door.

Miranda pushed the door open. "Wanna get a snack first before play practice?" She asked as she dumped her bag on the floor.

"Sure." Andy and Maxie dropped theirs. Inside, the toys could feel the impact as they hit the ground.

"We got popcorn, granola, carrot sticks…" They heard Miranda say. "Celery sticks, apples, oranges, orange juice, orange soda…" The door swung shut behind them. "Or we could just have chocolate ice cream."

"_Ice cream!"_ Said Andy and Maxie together.


	2. Chapter 2

2:

* * *

Woody crawled out of the bag on his knees. Jessie jumped out behind him, using his back as a springboard and knocking him flat on the floor. "Oof!" The Cowboy pushed himself back up. "Hey! Watch it, Jess!"

Jessie paid him no mind. Instead she was running around the room, looking for Miranda's toys_. "Hey you guyyyys! _We're back! Come out and play!" Several toys began to climb down Miranda's shelves and she happily bounced over to see them.

Buzz had climbed out of the bag and now he stood with Woody. "I think it's nice the way Jessie can make friends wherever she goes."

Woody nodded. "Well she's not exactly shy either."

Jessie was giggling as the two joined her. "Bunsy is funny!" She said, referring to a brown plush rabbit in a polka dotted clown outfit and hat. "Go on, Bunsy!" She encouraged. "Tell 'em your new joke!"

"Why don't dogs use computers?" Asked Bunsy. Woody shrugged. Buzz pondered for a moment.

"I don't know." He finally said.

"They can't stick their head out of Windows!" Jessie laughed and Woody chuckled, but Buzz just looked bewildered.

"I…don't get it." He looked at Woody. "Why's that funny?"

The Cowboy sighed. "Never mind, Buzz." To Miranda's toys he said, "Buzz was manufactured without an irony chip."

Buzz frowned. "I'm not sure what that means, but I think you just insulted me."

Jessie was looking over at Miranda's bed. Someone was watching from behind the post but she quickly ducked her head back.

"Hey! Lookit!" She raced over the bed and enthusiastically pulled the toy out. "Lookit who is! It's Blythe!"

Woody and Buzz smiled as Jessie almost dragged Blythe to them. "We haven't seen Blythe in forever! Practically decades!"

"Jessie, we were only here three weeks ago."

"Exactly!"

Blythe looked down shyly. "Hi." She said in a quiet tone.

"Your voice is sounding better!" Said Buzz.

Blythe smiled. "Thanks."

Jessie was rubbing her chin at she stared at Blythe. "There's somethin' different about you…" she muttered. "Did you get contacts or somethin'?"

"Contacts?" Woody scoffed. "For dolls? C'mon Jessie! Even you know they don't make those!"

"But last time we seen her, her eyes were green! Now they're pink!"

"She's right," said Buzz, looking at Blythe's eyes. "How'd you do it?"

Without a word, Blythe reached under her hair and pulled a string. Her eyes shut and when they opened they were brown. _"Ohhhh…" _said the other three together.

Bunsy hopped over to the four dolls. "We're having a three legged race! You guys want to join in?"

"Yeah!" Jessie cried happily. "Come on everyone! Let's go!" She led the two men to where Miranda's toys were gathering but Blythe stayed behind.

Buzz turned. "Hey, Blythe? Don't you want to be in the race?"

Blythe looked away as she shuffled her feet. "Ermmm, I don't think so. I don't have a partner so I'll just…"

Buzz smiled gently and held out his hand. "I'll be your partner if you want."

Blythe's face turned a little pink. "You'd really do that?"

"Of course."

"But what about Jessie?"

"She'll understand!" Buzz said reassuringly. "She can be partners with Woody!"

Blythe looked over Buzz's shoulder. Woody must've had just said something insulting because Jessie was hollering and pounding on his shoulder and backside with her fists. "If you think it's a good idea…"

"Well you shouldn't be left out." Without waiting, Buzz took Blythe's hand and walked with her over to the starting point.

Jessie held a strip of cloth out to Buzz. "C'mon Space Toy! Let's show 'em who's boss!" She glared at Woody. "I'll show you who's the slowest cowgirl in the Wild, Wild West!"

Woody smiled smugly. "I meant _mentally."_

Jessie was about to hit him again but Buzz pushed her fist down. "Woody, be nice to your little sister."

"I'm the _big_ sister," Jessie muttered.

Buzz turned his attention to the Cowgirl. "Actually Jess, Blythe's going to be my partner for this race."

Jessie looked taken aback. "Blythe? But I thought we were…"

"Blythe didn't have anyone to pair up with so I told her I'd race with her," Buzz explained. He smiled. "Don't worry. I'm still your partner in everything else."

Jessie looked reassured. "Ok." She turned to Woody. "Okie dokie, Howdy Doody Head. Hold still so I can tie us together."

Woody rolled his large brown eyes as she twisted the tie around their legs. "No, of course I don't mind being your partner for the race! Thank you so much for asking!"

Bunsy was tied to a furry orange monster doll. "Ok," he instructed. "To the wall and then back here again. The first pair to make it wins!"

Buzz looked at Blythe. "Ready?" She nodded.

"Uh oh!" Called a voice. Blythe rolled her eyes and groaned as Buzz turned toward the speaker. It was a blonde boy doll with a plush body and a plastic head and hands. He was wearing blue overalls that had a label stitched across the chest: _"My Friend Jackie."_

"Don't trip and fall, Blythe!" He called. "We all know how klutzy you are!"

There was a small foam ball nearby and Blythe picked it up. She winged it toward his head. "Shut up, Jackie!"

He ducked and stuck out his tongue. "You throw like a girl!"

"Well you smell like a pig!" Blythe stopped and looked at Buzz. Her face turned red. "I'm sorry." She said as she played with her fingers. "Jackie's just been a jerk since Miranda's brother went to college. He was Bert's toy." Woody had been listening and now at the mention of college he and Buzz exchanged looks. They both knew it would be Andy's turn in eight years and neither of them liked to think about it.

"Ok, everyone!" Bunsy suddenly called. "On your mark…get set… GO!"

The pairs began to hop together as the watching toys cheered. "Go faster!" Jessie yelled at Woody.

"I'm trying but you're dragging me!"

"Pick up your boots!"

Buzz and Blythe were having no such trouble. In fact they were ahead of all the others. "Good job, Blythe!" Buzz encouraged. "We're almost there!"

As the two turned at the wall, Buzz could see Jessie and Woody weren't even halfway to the end of the first lap. "You are a slowpoke!" Jessie said angrily.

"Well you're pushy!" Jessie elbowed him roughly. He began to tip over. "Oh no…"

"No no no!" She cried. Woody fell to the floor, Jessie landing on top of him.

She punched his shoulder. "You IDIOT!"

"You pushed me!" Buzz and Blythe bounded past the tangled pair and to the finish.

The toys applauded and cheered as they mobbed the two winners. Jessie had managed to untie herself from Woody and now she marched away from him and to the crowd with her arms folded. The Cowboy pulled himself off the floor. "Don't be mad at me!"

"You're the reason we lost!"

Buzz slung an arm around each of his two best friends. "Guys, remember it's just a race!" Woody and Jessie muttered. "Three legged races aren't easy! You've got to work together as a team!"

"That's why Jessie and I could never be a couple," Woody said to him. "We're both too stubborn and always want to be in charge. You guys automatically click together. It's like you share the same mind."

Jessie grabbed both of Buzz's hands. "That's 'cause we're partners!"

Buzz smiled as he squeezed her hands. "We're partners."


	3. Chapter 3

3:

* * *

"'_Thank you, Dear Friends,'"_ Miranda read flatly. She was sitting at her family's kitchen table, reading from her script book. Maxie and Andy were with her, holding theirs. _"'Thank you for inviting us to the first Thanksgiving. May we always remember to be truly grateful for the things that matter, like food, shelter, and of course, friendship.'" _She sighed irritably and dropped the booklet. "This is ridiculous! I'm not Indian, I'm Filipino American! My grandparents weren't even born in this country!"

"Well none of the other kids in the play are Indian either," Andy pointed out. He and Maxie were reading the other parts, even though their own characters had no lines. Maxie had gotten out of her chair and was dancing around behind him.

"_Eat us!"_ She sang. _"Hey, it's Thanksgiving Day! Eat us! We make a nice buffet!_ _We lost the race with Farmer Ed! Eat us 'cause we're good and dead!"_

Andy laughed. "I think Ms. Crawlee would have a fit if you sang that during the play! The grapes don't sing!"

Maxie wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. _"The gods of my tribe have spoken. They have said, 'Do not trust the Pilgrims, especially Sarah Miller.'"_ She intoned. _"And for all these reasons I have decided to scalp you and burn your village to the ground." _Andy laughed some more as she pretended to whack his head with an imaginary tomahawk.

Miranda leaned forward with her elbows on the table and her hands folded under her chin. "You two are just _soooo_ cute!" She gushed.

"We are?" Andy asked in surprise. Maxie gave Miranda a warning look.

She got the hint. "Sorry. I forgot he doesn't know."

"Know what?"

"There's nothing _to_ know!" Maxie snapped.

"Know what?" Andy repeated.

"C'mon Maxie!" Miranda pressed. _"Everybody_ knows! He's the only person who _doesn't_ know!"

"_KNOW WHAT?" _Andy cried. "What don't I know?"

Maxie looked at Miranda. "Say it and I'll scalp _you."_ Miranda just smiled with a shrug.

"Ok. My lips are sealed."

Maxie sank down in a seat. "Good."

Andy was thoroughly bewildered at he looked at the two. "Girls make no sense."

* * *

A few hours later, after play practice and an hour of playing with their toys, Maxie and Andy were back at home. Andy waved to her from the front door as she crossed the street to her house. "Bye Maxie!"

"Bye! Thanks for picking us up, Ms. Davis!" She called.

Mom smiled as Andy followed her in. "I sure do like Maxine, Andy. I'm glad you two are friends."

"Yeah but she can be weird sometimes. Even for a girl."

"Well, you might not think so someday. Now put your bag upstairs, Hon," she instructed. "I've got some chores I need you to do before dinner."

* * *

After the bedroom door was closed, the three toys pushed their way out of the backpack. Bo was the first to greet them. With a smile she placed her hands on Woody's chest and pressed her cheek against his shirt. "Welcome home, Sheriff. I missed you."

Woody wrapped his arms around her shoulders and gave her a warm hug. "I missed you too."

Jessie suddenly let out an exaggerated sniffle as she turned to Buzz. "Oh Buzzy, _I missed you!"_

Buzz smiled. "But I was with you the whole day!"

"And yet you were so far away!" She dragged him close. "That's better."

Buzz took her arms and entwined them around his waist. "You know the Pauli Exclusion Principle says that two bodies can't occupy the same space at the same time."

Jessie giggled. "Well, we'll just have to prove 'im wrong!"

Woody's hat had fallen off and he was back at the backpack, looking inside for it. "You can remember the names of advanced laws of physics but you don't get a joke about Windows?" He paused. "Hey, what's this?" He pulled out a piece of tightly folded paper.

"Must be Andy's," said Bo, looking over his shoulder.

"Can't be. It's got Buzz's name on it."

Buzz looked up from where he was still holding Jessie. "Who me?"

"_Noooo,_ Buzz the Honey Nut Cheerios Bee!" Woody said sarcastically, standing up and extending the note toward his best friend. "How many Buzzes do you think live in this room?"

Buzz broke away from Jessie to take the note. "I wonder who it's from."

"Well open it and find out."

Some of Andy's other toys were coming over to welcome their friends back. "What'cha got there Buzz?" Asked Rex, looking at the mysterious paper.

"Not sure just yet," Buzz answered. It was taped shut and he stuck his finger inside to break the seal.

"Read out loud!" Potato Head encouraged.

"Yeah tell us Buzz!"

Buzz frowned in bewilderment as he read. _"'Dear Buzz, I think your cute. Luv, your secret admierer.'"_

There was dead silence as every toy's head swiveled toward Jessie. She looked taken aback. "What? I didn't write it!"

"You're not going to go ballistic?" Asked Hamm.

Jessie gave a short laugh. "Should I?"

"Well if someone was writing love notes to the Mrs. I'd be a steamed Potato." Said Potato Head.

His wife, standing next to him, folded her arms. "It wouldn't hurt for _you_ to write them to me once in awhile."

Jessie pulled the note from Buzz's hands and waved it. "I'd hardly call this a love note! I mean whoever wrote this couldn't even spell 'admirer!'"

"So you're not mad?" Bo asked.

"No way!"

"I'll give her an hour until she explodes over this," Woody muttered.

"I'll give her thirty minutes," answered Potato Head.

"I'll give her thirty seconds," added Hamm.

Buzz ignored them as he focused on Jessie. "Jess, you do know this note doesn't mean anything to me, right? I love you more than anything."

She smiled and leaned down to kiss his cheek. "Don't be silly! I'm perfectly fine! You've got nothin' to be worried about!"

* * *

Jessie sat sullenly in front of the TV, glaring at the screen as her face rested on her knees. _"So I-I killed. So I maimed. So I destroyed one innocent life after another. Aren't I a human being? Don't I yearn, and ache, and shop? Don't I deserve love...and jewelry?"_

Buzz took a seat next to her. "Hi. What are you watching?"

"Just some movie." Jessie mumbled. With a smile Buzz put his arm around her. She didn't respond. Buzz scooted closer.

"So…about the Pauli Exclusion Principle…" Jessie shrugged him off as she reached for the remote.

"_Goodbye everybody! Wish me luck…"_ The screen went black.

As Jessie stood up and stalked away, Buzz followed. "What? What's wrong?"

"You know perfectly well what's wrong!"

"But you said you were fine!"

"Buzz…" Jessie said as she turned to face him. "I have a confession to make."

"What?"

"_I LIED!"_ She yelled.

From somewhere across the room Hamm cheered. "Two hours! I win the pool!"

"No fair!" Potato Head shouted. "You changed your time!"

Jessie ignored them as she crossed her arms and turned away from Buzz. Standing behind her, the Ranger put his hands on her shoulders. "C'mon, Jessie! I told you that that note doesn't mean anything!"

"Oh sure you say that now! But in a while you'll be thinking 'Gee, who could this mystery woman be? Gosh darn I'd sure like to meet her! I bet she's swell! Better than that what's-her-name I _used_ to date!'"

"I'm not thinking that at all!"

Jessie turned. "You know what?" She hollered. "You have fun with your little groupie girl! Go on! In fact, she can be president of your fan club for all I care!"

"What's a groupie?" Buzz asked in confusion.

Jessie's fists shook at her side as her face colored in anger. "You-you…_AGGHHH!"_

As she ran from him, Buzz felt as though his heart was crumbling. Nothing was worse than seeing Jessie hurt. Except not knowing how to make the hurt stop.

Woody approached Buzz from behind. "You want me to help you figure out who wrote it?"

Buzz nodded. "Uh huh." As the two friends retreated to a corner of the bedroom, Buzz suddenly gave Woody a slug on the arm. "I can't _believe _you guys made a betting pool…"


	4. Chapter 4

4:

* * *

Woody held the note as he and Buzz sat on some blocks. "So what do we know so far?"

Buzz shrugged helplessly. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"Well we've got to start somewhere." Woody unfolded the paper. "Well the handwriting's definitely female."

"Thank Neptune."

"It had to have been put in the backpack sometime between before we left this morning for school and the time we left Miranda's house."

"So do you think it could be someone around here?" Buzz questioned.

"Could be, but I doubt it." Woody replied. "Everybody knows you and Jessie are a couple. And, no offense Buzz, but I don't think you're cute enough for somebody to risk Jessie's wrath. You know how she is when she gets mad."

Buzz sniffed. "Well for your information, Cowboy, I happen to have it on good authority that I'm _very_ cute!"

"Oh yeah? Says who?"

Buzz crossed his arms. "Jessie. She thinks I'm adorable because I'm small and round and my head's purple."

"Oh yeah, you're a regular Chibi, Buzz." Woody waved the page. "Can we just focus? Now look," he let Buzz look at the note. "It's on loose leaf paper."

"So?"

"So Andy doesn't have loose leaf paper! He has spiral notebooks! That means it could only come from Miranda's!"

"Ok, now we're getting somewhere. Who were all the girls we saw today?"

Woody began to tick off names on his fingers. "Well, there were a couple of Barbie's, Raggy Sue, Baby Burps a Lot, Blythe, Funshine Bear…Wait a minute… He grabbed the note from Buzz and looked it over. "Buzz, I know who wrote it."

"Funshine Bear?"

"No!" Woody snapped. _"Blythe! Blythe_ wrote the note!"

Buzz looked at Woody for a moment before snickering. "What are you joking? Blythe didn't write me a secret admirer note!"

"Wake up and smell the Tang, Buzz! You rescued her from that closet two months ago _and_ reunited her with her owner! You carried her up the stairs the night you guys brought her home!"

"She was sleeping!"

"You're her hero!" Woody said. "Of course she's going to have a crush on you!"

"C'mon! Blythe's just a kid!"

"Exactly," Woody agreed. "Look at the spelling errors! Just like a kid would make! Besides, you're always extra nice to her!"

"Since when is there a law against being extra nice? She's had a rough two years!"

"Well, you don't think she could've taken that extra niceness and misinterpreted it as something else?"

Buzz thought for a moment. He made a face. "Oh no…"

Woody sat back. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'll figure out that out later. Right now the only girl I'm thinking about is Jessie." Buzz looked at his Cowboy friend. "You know, I just don't understand. She said she was fine. So why did she get mad?"

Woody sighed and sat back. "Well you know what they say, Buzz. Love is a battlefield."

Buzz looked at him as if he were insane. "Love isn't a battlefield! Love is an abstract concept that describes a wide divergence of affectionate emotions for an infinite assortment of different things!"

Woody put his face in his hands. "Buzz…"

"A battlefield is a place where two opposing sides, usually of a war, meet to engage in armed conflict."

"Buzz…"

"Love isn't a battlefield! Love isn't even a noun!"

_"BUZZ!" _Woody shouted, startling him. "Quit taking everything I say literally!"

"I don't take everything you say literally! That would be impossible!"

"_Stop_ talking!" Woody turned to face him. "Jessie is probably scared that she might lose you."

"But she's won't!"

"Don't tell me! Tell her!"

"But I just did tell you! I can't take it back!"

Woody jumped up, his face turning red. _"JUST TALK TO HER!" _He yelled.

Buzz thought for a second, then smiled. "I'll do one better…"


	5. Chapter 5

5:

* * *

Jessie was by the dresser playing with Andy's Gameboy when someone grabbed her from behind and dipped her backward. Before she could fathom what was happening, Buzz was holding her horizontally as he pressed his mouth to hers. The Cowgirl felt her body go slack as her arms and knees flopped limply toward the floor and heat raced from her toes to the top of her head.

Buzz stopped kissing her. "Still my girl?"

Jessie nodded weakly. "'Kay." Buzz smiled and as he stood, he embraced her tightly. Jessie squeezed her eyes shut as she rested her face on his shoulder with a smile. Then she frowned. "Wait a minute," she said, looking at him. "What about the other girl?"

"Jessie, there _is_ no other girl. Not since I met you. You know you're the only one for me. You're my Infinity and Beyond girl."

Jessie tugged on her braid bashfully. "Aw Partner, you're so mushy." She shrieked in surprise as Buzz suddenly grabbed her under the knees and back of the shoulders, pulling her into his arms so he was cradling her.

"Yeah and you started it, Baby." He said with a smile.

Jessie nodded with a grin. "Yup!" And with that, she placed her hands on Buzz's face and kissed him.

* * *

Two weeks later:

* * *

Backstage, Andy peeked out from behind the curtain, searching for his Mom and Molly. As he spotted them, he grinned and waved.

"WARDOLF?" Someone shouted behind him, causing him to drop the curtain as he jumped. He turned and looked at Maxie, who was in a purple jumpsuit and hoodie. There were giant purple foam balls pinned to her costume. She was waving the play program angrily. "My name's not _Wardolf_, its _Waldorf!_ How hard is that to spell?"

Andy shrugged with a smile. "We've got sometime before curtain. Wanna play for awhile?"

Maxie sighed. "I can't sit in this outfit. Let's just get something from the snack table." Andy nodded in agreement as he followed her.

"Ok, but don't forget we're going to Pizza Planet for dinner after this is over so don't stuff yourself."

"Yes, _Mom."_ The two kids walked past the large pile of backpacks and bags that had been brought by the play performers. No one saw as the zipper to one opened slightly and a tiny wooden face peeked out.

Woody pulled Jessie back. "Don't! You might be seen!"

"I ain't gonna be seen!" She argued.

"Just wait until the play starts!"

Buzz had taken Jessie's place at the open zipper. "I see Miranda's bag. I wonder if Blythe's in there."

"Well she is Miranda's favorite." Said Woody.

Buzz looked at Jessie, who had turned away. He put his arms around her waist from behind. "Don't worry, Cowgirl. I'm going to talk to Blythe. Let her down gently, so you have nothing to worry about."

"What? Me worry?" Jessie waved him off. "Who says I ever worry?"

Woody gave a short laugh and Jessie kicked him. "Ow!" He cried as he rubbed his shin.

Suddenly the lights went down. _"Welcome parents, to Emeryville Elementary's Thanksgiving Day Play, featuring Ms. Crawlee's fifth grade class in 'A Happy Harvest Feast!'"_

"Yeah, happy my buns." Jessie muttered.

"Shh!" Woody pushed open the zipper further so the toys could get a look. Onstage Andy was dressed in his pilgrim costume as he stood with his classmates. _"'Fellow Pilgrims, it is 1620 and we have just landed on Plymouth Rock!'" _Said another boy in costume._ "Oh what a wonderful new land in which we are free to worship how we please!'"_

Jessie looked disgusted. "Whadda bunch of hooey!"

"At least we're getting to see it," said Woody. He smiled. "Andy's doing great isn't he? Look at him out there!"

"He doesn't even have any lines."

Something caught Buzz's eye. Miranda's bag had opened and Blythe looked out. Seeing Buzz she ducked her face back inside. "Excuse me for a minute, Guys." Buzz stepped out of the backpack and made his way to the lavender book bag with the sparkly red M on the front.

Buzz opened the zipper. "Hi guys," he said to the toys inside. Blythe was sitting at the back, looking as though she wanted to vanish. "Blythe can I talk to you?"

As she stood, the Jackie doll smirked. _"Ooh, Blythe's in trouble…"_

"Shut _up,_ Jackie!" Not looking Buzz in the eye, Blythe stepped out. The Ranger opened his mouth to say something but before he could Blythe burst out, "I'm sorry! I know shouldn't have written that note but-but-but…"

"Whoa, slow down!" Said Buzz. "Blythe…" Blythe's face was red as she turned away in shame. "Blythe, you know I'm too old for you."

"It's not fair," mumbled Blythe. "How I can be older and younger than you at the same time."

"I know. But you also know I have a girlfriend."

Blythe peeked around Buzz to Andy's bag. Jessie was watching them from the inside. "She's not going to hurt me is she?"

Buzz shook his head with a sigh and a smile. "No, she's not. I'm sorry Blythe, but even if you were the right age, Jess would still be my girlfriend."

Jessie had gotten out of the pack and now joined them. Blythe looked ashamed. "I'm sorry, Jessie."

The Cowgirl waved her off. "It's cool." Playfully she gave Buzz a pinch on the cheek. "He is kinda hard to resist, isn't he?" She looked over Blythe's head. "'Sides Blythe, I think there's already someone who likes ya…"

"Yeah right, like who?" Jessie nodded toward Miranda's bag and the younger doll turned to see. Jackie was watching the trio and he didn't look happy.

"Are you kidding?" Said Blythe in disbelief. "Jackie doesn't like me! He's always teasing me and stealing my hat!"

Jessie shrugged with a smile. "Sometimes that's how boys show you that they like ya."

Blythe raised her brows skeptically. "Really?" Jessie nodded. Blythe sighed. Turning around she went back to the bag. "Scoot over Jackie." She said as she climbed inside. "I guess if you promise not to steal my hat, you can sit next to me for the rest of the play."

Buzz smiled and gave Jessie a shoulder squeeze. "You handled that very well." He said.

"Yeah well, she's lucky she's twelve." Buzz took his girl's hand and the two walked back to Andy's book bag where Woody was waiting. He stepped aside as Buzz opened the flap so Jessie could step in.

On stage a long table was set in the center with the pilgrims standing around it. Behind them Maxie and several other students dressed as food stood in front of a giant piece of plywood painted to look like a cornucopia._ "'Here come our Indians friends now! Remember, these kind people helped save us from starvation by teaching us how to plant corn, so now we will share the fruits of our harvest with them!"_

Seven kids in Native costumes trampled onto stage. _"WE ARE THE GRASSHOPPERS!" _They screamed. _"WHERE'S OUR FOOD!" _

Andy and the other pilgrims looked stunned. Even more so when the food behind them screamed, _"WE ARE THE WARRIOR BUGS HERE TO DEFEND YOU!"_

Inside the bag Woody blinked. "Is that part of the play?"

Buzz had picked up the orange piece of paper Andy had chucked inside earlier and was looking through it. "It's not in the program that's for sure."

Maxie had unpinned the grapes from her body and now the Food and Indians were throwing them at each other like dodge balls. The curtain dropped as the voice of Andy's teacher echoed through the backstage. _"MAXINEEEE!"_

"Well," Woody looked at his fellow toys. "So much for Andy's acting career."

Jessie grinned as she leaned forward on the zipper. "Now _that's_ a Thanksgiving day play!"


End file.
